Also, Shop the Above & More Galentine Favorites Below:

January 28, 2019

Dressed to Chill: 4 Stylish Tips for Winter Layers

When the temps drop {ahem, plummet} it's hard not to wear anything other than your long down feather black puffer jacket, UGGs, & beanie.

However, if you're a fashion blogger or have a need to actually dress up in the winter months {gasps!} you'll want to make the most out of winter style by styling your outfit appropriately.

Here are some of my go-to's when it comes to winter style & winter layers. I start with the under-most layers & work my way up & out!

Love Your Melon Pom Beanie {c/o}

Thermal tops & long sleeve turtleneck/ mock-neck tops!

Starting with these under your outfit is smart & stylish. They're thin enough to leave room for additional layers but warm enough to give you warmth when venturing out as well as add a whole new dimension to your winter style.

Puffer vests.

You can never have too many vests--they go hand-in-hand with every season & are super easy to style. Adding my stripe vest here was the last thing I put on--stripes {even with plaid} I feel that they go with everything.

Beanies.

Beanies & chunky knit hats are your winter trend best friend. They instantly upgrade any winter outfit from cute to snow-ski-bunny cute in moments. Personally, I say the chunkier the knit the cuter the look!

4. Classic Lined Crocs {Crocs} For me, Crocs never went out of style, but the Gen Z Generation has revived the Crocs once again! I have a pair in pink & a pair in grey--both lined & they're so cozy.

5. Huggable Unicorn Heating + Cooling {Urban Outitters} My heatable unicorn looks really similar to this one {TJ Max & Marshalls has a lot} but it's great--simply heat in microwave for two-three minutes & you have something soft to cradle or use on cramps & aches.

6. Dyson Hot & Cool Jet Focused Fan {Bed Bath & Beyond} If you have a cold room and or you're always cold but super afraid of using any space heater this is the purchase for you this winter--the Dyson Hot & Cool Jet Focused Fan. Mind you, it's a splurge, but when you think about it--it is usable in any season {summer & winter} & it's so much safer than a space heater. Plus, I feel like the Dyson Hot & Cool Jet Fan is pretty stylish & can fit in any space as it's pretty slim.

January 21, 2019

How to Make the Most Out of a Hygge Day: Get Cozy

It's Hygge week on the blog! With January roaring on & my sunny Florida-inspired posts complete it's time to get cozy & hygge like a true Scandinavian.

Hygge is the Danish living art form of being present with the 'now' as well as appreciating the little things in life. Here, we have taken hygge & ran with it as a way to embrace everything comfy & cozy. AKA faux fur, sherpa, cozy socks, & comfy clothes.

How to Hygge

AllBirds Tree Toppers

Here's how-to-make the most out of a hygge day:

Throw on a chunky sweater

Brew a hot cup of coffee & indulge with a spot of cream & a crunchy biscotti

Unplug from social media & grab a book & find a warm reading nook

Take a brisk afternoon walk in the snow {or cold} look around--stay in the now

Lunchtime! A warm cup of French Onion Soup with extra gooey melted cheese

Two layers of sherpa socks are better than one

Flick on the copper fairy lights & light those winter candles

Build a pillow fort--pretend it's a log cabin

Netflix & Chill!

Warm creamy coffee makes for a perfect hygge treat

I also feel like my shoes, the Allbirds wool runners/ tree toppers are very hygge as well. They're made entirely from plants & wool--that's kinda of crazy to think about, but also very cool!

Also, f you're seeking more ways to 'hygge' I wrote an article called, How to Hygge Like a True Scandinavian for Metro.US. You can read that here.

January 19, 2019

"Ayo, I wanna pretend we're at the North PoleTurning the heat into an ice cold holidayMade just for me and my baby, ooh, oohMy baby's in town and we're gonna do some winter things, hey" --'Winter Things', Ariana Grande

*Note, this post is sponsored by NUGO. All ideas & opinions are my own.*

Whenever I have a photo-shoot/blog-shoot scheduled, most of the time, I have a concept in mind & sometimes, a song that plays in my head when I am getting the photos done.😁 This time of year & as for this post, it's 'Winter Things' by Ariana Grande which got me thinking about various outdoor winter things I do {& you can do} to stay active during the colder months.

Ice Skating

Hockey

Brisk Walks

Afternoon Jogs

Fetch with the Dogs

Sledding

Visits to the Park/Dog Park

Cross-Country Skiing {snow-covered golf courses are great}

Snowboarding

Tubing

While I am staying active in the winter {or any season} it is also important to stay fueled. For the times when it's too soon to have a bigger meal mid-day or cases when a piece of fruit is just too bulky to pack along; how about a nutrition bar instead? A nutrition bar that has simple-clean ingredients as well as actual nutritional value, of course!

I know, those can be hard to find as often most granola/power bars aren't really all that good for you as they're loaded with added sugars and saturated fats!

January 17, 2019

5 Ways to Find Your Winter Groove

So, the holiday decor is down...at least at my house, it is. I know lots find taking down their Christmas/holiday decorations to be sad {which in a way, it is} but taking having all that extra stuff down is so refreshing--it's almost like hitting a complete 'refresh' button.

During the winter months after the major holidays, it's easy to lose momentum & feel kinda 'blah.'
Here are a few things I do after the holidays to keep my winter groove alive & well--after all, spring isn't too far away {hopefull}

5 Ways to Find Your Winter Groove

Re-Decorate: I like to keep things/decor this time of year crisp & clean as minimal as I can {I do have a lot of stuff lol} but I try to keep my aesthetic simple--whites, light grays, & soft pink colors, as well as a few winter scented candles. Also, I usually keep a string of twinkle lights out which I have timed to go on when it gets dark.

Set the Mood: Having a few winter or aromatherapy candles & room fragrances out & placed really rejuvenates my post-holiday mood. Two of my favorite soy candles I bought this year at Marshalls. The first is called, 'Winter' & the second is called, Pecksniff's Aromatherapy Deep-Sleep candle. The best part stores like Target, TJ Max, & Marshalls have most of these scented candles on sale as they're making room for their spring merchandise.

Clean Desk: A clean desk is often a clean mind. I can't work on an overflowing desk. Take time to get rid of what you don't need & organize what you do. A new memo pad, fancy pen, & desk calendar can do wonders for your conscience.

Look Forward to Something: Winter can be rough!!! I often say, having something to look forward to is everything. If you have something fun to look forward to that takes place in early spring that can really help keep your winter spirits alive & bright. Me? I am SO looking forward to seeing CHER in concert this April. LOL, I keep having dreams where I am talking/having lunch which her & each time she's has a different look from whatever decade. My last dream, it was the 1960s'/70s' Cher with the long dark hair, haha.

January 14, 2019

Press Presets: What Are Lightroom Presets & Why You Should Use Them

By now, you've heard of bloggers & photographers talk about presets. Whether you use them or want to start using a preset, I want to put together a post sharing my experience with them & what they are all about.

So, what is a preset? Basically, a preset is similar to a filter {in my opinion, a higher quality version} that works with the subscription photo editing tool, Lightroom.

There is the yearly subscription Lightroom,, part of the Adobe Suite, for desktop computers {I use this} as well as the Lightroom app. Using only the Lightroom app is essentially free for photo editors, but if you buy any Lightroom Mobile packs, you do have to have access to a desktop to un-zip the Zip File all presets {both desktop & mobile} come in!

While many use the various Lightroom presets created by others it's also possible to create your own presets for your photos. Essentially, whether you're using a free presets or one you've bought, after deciding what aesthetic you want to go with, you import your presets into Lightroom & you can start applying them to your photos.

It's pretty easy, with one click the preset is applied to the unedited photo.

Of course, each photo is different so the amount of tweaking really just depends on what content you're editing at the time.

When I first started using presets, I made the mistake to not switching to shooting in RAW! I am not sure why switching over to RAW is scary, but I 100% recommend shooting in RAW if that's what your desired preset calls for--you'll be able to get the maximum impact from your photos using the RAW format.

Note, RAW images do take up more space on your memory/memory cards.

Suzy Shattuck Presets

There are all kinds of presets to buy, some are only for Lightroom Desktop & then can be also applied in the app on your phone {what I do}. There are also presets for JPEG photos as well as various mobile preset packs too.

So, it's just up to you, your style, & budget if you want to go full-on with the desktop version or play around with a few mobile packs on your phone.

Personally, I use {& love} the Suzy Shattuck Presets. They really create a unique mood & rich tone to all of my photos.

Why use presets? If you purchase a preset/ preset pack it helps you as a creator to establish an aesthetic to your photos, Instagram grid, & blog. It really helps with consistency & is also a timesaver when editing multiple photos at once.

Aside from the Suzy Shattuck Presets, a few other preset packs that I think highly of are:

Most, if not all of the presets & bloggers I listed above have the option of Desktop or Mobile packs...good to keep in mind!

With that said, I know there are a ton of presets out there {Etsy has a bunch} but in the end, it's really about finding what works for your style & aesthetic & then letting your imagination run with it!

January 10, 2019

Efficient & Easy Travel Essentials

Whenever I am packing to go somewhere, I struggle with two things; over packing & under-packing. The thing of it is, I don't want to show up short handed & risk not having something that I really am going to need.

Then again, I don't want to have SO many items it becomes a lot to keep tabs on.

Slowly, I am getting the hang of packing just the right amount--after all, I am a blogger 😊 & bloggers seem to need a lot of stuff, lol.

On my recent trip to Southwest, FL {as you've been reading these past few posts} I packed some items that made my go-see trip so much easier & efficient.

So much so, that I wanted to share a few below!

Captiva Island

1. Packing List by Lonely Planet: Before I left, I say down & made an entire packing list. As I packed, I crossed each item off the list. Needless to say, I didn't forget anything! {Urban Outfitters, $7}

3. Design Love Fest TSA Bottles Set: I packed all of my bath essentials inside a clear case just like this one. The pre-sized/TSA friendly bottles took all of the guesswork out of what to bring & how much! {Target, $10}

5. Silk Sleepmask: Sleepmasks are essential when sleeping in a hotel. It blocks out any light {I leave the room lights on} as well as lulls you to sleep. I saw that Kim Kardashian brings a silk pillow slip of her own too when she travels--which reduces wrinkles and hair breakage. {Sephora, $50}

6. Instyler Straight Up Ceramic Brush: I bought this brush on a whim right before leaving & I am SO glad I did! Essentially, it's a brush & flat iron all in one. With one smooth brush, your locks are pretty straight. This brushed saved me time doing my hair & I feel like it's less damage {heat} to your hair--which is good. {Target, $45}

& My last efficient/easy travel solution would be to roll your clothes. I ironed everything before packing & then neatly rolled inside my suitcase. I was able to fit more inside as well as reduce the number of wrinkles to my garments.

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